editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR News' Brian Naylor is a correspondent on the Washington Desk. In this role, he covers politics and federal agencies, including transportation and homeland security. With more than 30 years of experience at NPR, Naylor has served as National Desk correspondent, White House correspondent, congressional correspondent, foreign correspondent and newscaster during All Things Considered. He has filled in as host on many NPR programs, including Morning Edition , Weekend Edition and Talk of the Nation . During his NPR career, Naylor has covered many of the major world events, including political conventions, the Olympics, the White House, Congress and the mid-Atlantic region. Naylor reported from Tokyo in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, from New Orleans following the BP oil spill, and from West Virginia after the deadly explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine. While covering the U.S. Congress in the mid-1990s, Naylor's reporting contributed to NPR's 1996 Alfred I.NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Brian NaylorThu, 22 Feb 2018 04:30:42 +0000Brian Naylorhttp://kanw.com
Brian NaylorCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Why There Will Likely Never Be Another Pastor Like Billy Grahamhttp://kanw.com/post/why-there-will-likely-never-be-another-pastor-billy-graham
100116 as http://kanw.comWed, 21 Feb 2018 21:16:00 +0000Why There Will Likely Never Be Another Pastor Like Billy GrahamBrian NaylorAddressing the nation after Wednesday's Florida school shooting that left 17 people dead, President Trump said no child or teacher "should ever be in danger in an American school." He said he will meet with governors and attorneys general to deal with the issue of mental health. Speaking from the White House, Trump said it was "not enough to simply take actions that make us feel we are making a difference, we must actually make that difference." But he did not offer specifics, made no mention of stricter gun control laws in his remarks and instead focused on mental illness. He added, "No parent should ever have to fear for their sons and daughters when they kiss them goodbye in the morning." Trump said he will visit Parkland, where the shooting took place, and meet with local officials and families. Trump weighed in on Twitter earlier Thursday, saying there were "so many signs that the suspected Florida shooter was mentally disturbed." He noted that the suspect been expelled, writingTrump Calls For Steps That Make 'A Difference' On School Shootings, Without Specificshttp://kanw.com/post/president-trump-addresses-nation-florida-school-shooting
99858 as http://kanw.comThu, 15 Feb 2018 16:22:00 +0000Trump Calls For Steps That Make 'A Difference' On School Shootings, Without SpecificsBrian NaylorUpdated at 2:51 p.m. ET President Trump's personal attorney says he paid $130,000 to an adult film star who said she had an affair with Trump. In a statement first provided to The New York Times , Michael Cohen says that "in a private transaction in 2016, I used my own personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000 to Ms. Stephanie Clifford. Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly." Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels, says she met Trump during a golf tournament in 2006. In a 2011 interview with In Touch Weekly , she said she had an affair with Trump while he was married to his current wife, Melania, shortly after she gave birth to their son, Barron. Cohen has stated that Trump has denied the affair. After the allegations became public, Clifford went on a publicity tour but was coy about the specifics. On Wednesday, Daniels' manager, GinaAttorney Says He Paid Adult Film Actress Who Alleges Affair With Trumphttp://kanw.com/post/attorney-says-he-paid-adult-film-actress-who-alleges-affair-trump
99791 as http://kanw.comWed, 14 Feb 2018 16:45:00 +0000Attorney Says He Paid Adult Film Actress Who Alleges Affair With TrumpBrian NaylorUpdated at 5:05 p.m. ET The resignation of White House staff secretary Rob Porter after media reports of domestic abuse allegations against him — allegations he has denied — raises some key questions about government security clearances, and how they're obtained. More than 3 million government employees hold some type of security clearance, most in the Department of Defense. That's more than half of all federal jobs. Another 1.2 million government contractors held clearances, as of 2015. And the government is running into what security experts warn is a major problem — a mounting backlog that is hampering critical functions of the government. Some 700,000 people are waiting to have clearances processed, according to a report issued last week by the U.S. Comptroller's office, and many see the process as broken. The problem is so acute that the Government Accountability Office two weeks ago added it to its list of "high-risk" programs "in need of either broad-based transformation orWhite House Security Clearance Trouble Shines Light On 'High Risk' Backlog Problemhttp://kanw.com/post/white-house-security-clearance-trouble-shines-light-high-risk-backlog-problem
99639 as http://kanw.comSat, 10 Feb 2018 18:19:00 +0000White House Security Clearance Trouble Shines Light On 'High Risk' Backlog ProblemBrian NaylorCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Despite the accusations of domestic violence against him, Rob Porter was able to get an interim security clearance so he could work in the White House. Security clearances are required for millions of jobs throughout the federal government. And there is a big backlog of applications. Some 700,000 people are waiting to get their clearances approved or renewed. NPR's Brian Naylor reports. BRIAN NAYLOR, BYLINE: If you work for the government, chances are you have a security clearance. More than 3 million federal civilian and military jobs require some sort of clearance from confidential up to top secret. That's more than half of all federal jobs. Another 1.2 million clearances are held by contract employees. EVAN LESSER: You're looking at anyone from the guy that washes dishes in the White House all the way up to Ph.D.-level scientists doing, you know, nuclear and biological work. NAYLOR: Evan Lesser is founder and presidentAgency Conducting Government Background Checks Has Backlog Of 700,000http://kanw.com/post/agency-conducting-government-background-checks-has-backlog-700000
99615 as http://kanw.comFri, 09 Feb 2018 22:19:00 +0000Agency Conducting Government Background Checks Has Backlog Of 700,000Brian NaylorCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: Today the head of Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency resigned, and the worker who sent out that false missile alert earlier this month was fired. This after an FCC report said the worker who sent that alert actually thought the state was under attack because the worker misheard a recorded message during a training drill. That miscommunication led to a lot of fear and confusion in Hawaii. NPR's Brian Naylor reports. BRIAN NAYLOR, BYLINE: It all started with a phone call. The FCC says on the morning of January 13, the midnight shift supervisor at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency called the day shift warning officers pretending to be U.S. Pacific Command. As part of the routine training protocol, the shift supervisor played a tape recording with a message that repeated the word exercise three times along with the words, this is not a drill. The recording ended by repeating the word exercise again three times. Somehow, FCCFCC Wants To Ensure Only Those Affected By Natural Disasters Get Emergency Messageshttp://kanw.com/post/fcc-wants-ensure-only-those-affected-natural-disasters-get-emergency-messages
99157 as http://kanw.comTue, 30 Jan 2018 21:54:00 +0000FCC Wants To Ensure Only Those Affected By Natural Disasters Get Emergency MessagesBrian NaylorCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit KELLY MCEVERS, HOST: The first year of the Trump administration has been tough for many federal workers. Many agencies froze hiring. And last week's government shutdown got people wondering, at least briefly, when their next paycheck would arrive. That's why, ahead of President Trump's State of the Union address, some federal employees are dreading the possible announcement of a plan to reorganize the government. NPR's Brian Naylor reports. BRIAN NAYLOR, BYLINE: For nearly 40 years, J. David Cox has worked in and around the federal government. And right now, he says... J DAVID COX: Federal employee morale is the lowest that I have ever seen it. NAYLOR: Cox is president of the largest federal workers' union, the American Federation of Government Employees. He says agencies are short-staffed. The border patrol, he says, is down 2,000 employees - the VA, nearly 50,000 short. Now with the president expected to call for a sweeping reorganization of theWhy The Federal Workforce Morale Is At An All-Time Lowhttp://kanw.com/post/why-federal-workforce-morale-all-time-low
99112 as http://kanw.comMon, 29 Jan 2018 22:25:00 +0000Why The Federal Workforce Morale Is At An All-Time LowBrian NaylorThe past year has been a tough one for the federal workforce. There was a hiring freeze at many agencies. For three days earlier this month, there was a government shutdown, leaving many workers to wonder when their next paycheck would arrive. Now, as President Trump prepares his first State of the Union address, one issue he is expected to take up, if not there then in his soon-to-follow proposed budget for fiscal year 2019, is reorganizing the federal bureaucracy. It's a prospect that many in the federal workforce are dreading. Already, the state of the federal workforce is described as low. Morale "is the lowest that I have ever seen it in my just shy of 40 years" being a federal employee and working with federal employees, said J.David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents some 700,000 federal workers. Agencies, he says, are already short-staffed, with vacancies unfilled, and Cox worries pay will be frozen. "We are concerned," CoxState Of The Federal Workforce: Lowhttp://kanw.com/post/state-federal-workforce-low
99043 as http://kanw.comSun, 28 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000State Of The Federal Workforce: LowBrian NaylorCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: So the federal government is expected to return to normal operations tomorrow morning. Even though this was the third day of a partial shutdown, it was the first working day for most federal employees. And it was not exactly a break, as NPR's Brian Naylor reports. BRIAN NAYLOR, BYLINE: Washington was a bit off of its routine today. Some federal workers went into their jobs so they could be formally told to go home. Others got to stay but weren't sure if they'd be paid for their efforts. In offices around the capital city, there were recordings telling callers the agency they reached was closed for business. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: There is a temporary shutdown of the U.S. government due to a lapse in appropriation. We will return to normal operations as soon as possible. NAYLOR: It's unclear what, if any, damage was caused by this short shutdown. Eighty-five percent of the federal workforce isOn First Weekday Of Shutdown, Federal Workers Had To Sort Out Whether To Go To Workhttp://kanw.com/post/first-weekday-shutdown-federal-workers-had-sort-out-whether-go-work
98778 as http://kanw.comMon, 22 Jan 2018 21:54:00 +0000On First Weekday Of Shutdown, Federal Workers Had To Sort Out Whether To Go To WorkBrian Naylorhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye4heQO1v0o Updated at 5:08 p.m. ET So, here we go again. The federal government is once more on the verge of a shutdown, and just like the last time, in October 2013, there will some things you'll notice that are shuttered and others you won't. Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told reporters on Friday that the Trump administration is going to manage the shutdown differently than the last time. "We're not going to weaponize it," he said. But for the most part, like four years ago, essential services will continue, and essential workers will remain on the job, albeit without pay. That means: Social Security: Those checks will continue to be mailed out in what is a largely automated process. Military: The active-duty military will remain on the job, and military operations in places like Afghanistan would continue. Guidance from the Defense Department issued on Friday said military personnel would not be paid — neither would necessaryOpen Or Closed? Here's What Happens In A Partial Government Shutdownhttp://kanw.com/post/open-or-closed-heres-what-happens-partial-government-shutdown
98661 as http://kanw.comFri, 19 Jan 2018 19:21:00 +0000Open Or Closed? Here's What Happens In A Partial Government ShutdownBrian NaylorUpdated at 4:43 p.m. ET Former Sen. Bob Dole received the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday, in recognition of his service to the nation as a "soldier, legislator and statesman." He was presented the medal by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, as other bipartisan congressional leaders, along with President Trump looked on. Dole was an early backer of Trump, and the only former GOP presidential nominee to endorse the president. Dole was lauded by a succession of Washington officials. "Bob Dole always stood for what was just and what was right," Ryan said. "Because of you, America is much better." Trump called Dole "a true American hero," telling him, "good job." It takes support from two-thirds of the House and 67 senators to award the medal. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said he got support for Dole's medal from all 100 senators in two days. "You are our hero," Roberts said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., injected a moment ofBob Dole Receives Congressional Gold Medalhttp://kanw.com/post/bob-dole-receive-congressional-gold-medal
98593 as http://kanw.comWed, 17 Jan 2018 20:03:00 +0000Bob Dole Receives Congressional Gold MedalBrian NaylorThe Secretary of Homeland Security testified Tuesday that she did not hear President Trump use a vulgarity in a meeting with lawmakers about immigration last week. The president was widely reported to have used a disparaging word to describe African nations and wondered aloud why people from countries like Haiti were allowed to come to the United States. "You were in the room, you're under oath," pointed out Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, the senator from Vermont. "Did President Trump use this word or a substantially similar word to describe certain countries?" "I did not hear that word used, no sir," DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen responded in what was an, at times, contentious Senate hearing with two of the senators who were also in that meeting. "That is not the question," Leahy shot back. "Did he use anything similar to that describing certain countries?" "The conversation was very impassioned. I don't dispute the president was using tough language. OthersHomeland Security Secretary Says She 'Did Not Hear' Trump Use 'That' Vulgar Wordhttp://kanw.com/post/homeland-security-secretary-says-she-did-not-hear-trump-use-vulgar-word
98542 as http://kanw.comTue, 16 Jan 2018 22:01:00 +0000Homeland Security Secretary Says She 'Did Not Hear' Trump Use 'That' Vulgar WordBrian NaylorUpdated at 7:10 p.m. ET President Trump on Thursday referred to African nations as "s***hole countries" during a meeting on immigration with a bipartisan group of senators, according to a Democratic aide and another person familiar with the conversation. Trump made the comment during a discussion of U.S. visa and immigration policies inside the Oval Office. Trump was meeting with the senators to discuss a bipartisan plan to grant legal protections to the roughly 800,000 immigrants who are in the country illegally after being brought to the country as children. During the conversation Trump also questioned why the U.S would want to accept people from countries like Haiti and said the U.S. should want more people from countries like Norway, the aides said. The comments were first reported by The Washington Post . The senators had hoped to persuade Trump to support their plan, which pairs increased funding for border security with new legal status for immigrants who were previouslyTrump Uses Vulgar Language To Refer To African Countries, Sources Sayhttp://kanw.com/post/bipartisan-group-senators-say-theyve-negotiated-immigration-deal
98359 as http://kanw.comThu, 11 Jan 2018 21:41:00 +0000Trump Uses Vulgar Language To Refer To African Countries, Sources SayBrian NaylorFormer Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, already under indictment by Department of Justice special counsel Robert Mueller, now has a new legal worry: a civil lawsuit filed by a company linked to a Russian oligarch. Oleg Deripaska, the oligarch, is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Deripaska's company, Surf Horizon Limited, alleges Manafort and his business partner Richard Gates misappropriated millions of dollars. The lawsuit was filed in a New York state court. Deripaska had earlier brought a similar proceeding in the Cayman Islands. The suit says the pair "vanished more than $18.9 million" that Surf Horizon Limited attempted to invest in a group of Ukranian cable and Internet companies known as Black Sea Cable. It cites Mueller's indictment as "further support for Surf's realization" that Manafort and Gates had used their companies to "wrong Surf." Manafort and Gates were both charged in October with money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents, amongPaul Manafort Sued By Russian Oligarch's Company Over Business Dealhttp://kanw.com/post/paul-manafort-sued-russian-oligarchs-company-over-business-deal
98336 as http://kanw.comThu, 11 Jan 2018 18:01:00 +0000Paul Manafort Sued By Russian Oligarch's Company Over Business DealBrian NaylorTrump Again Blasts Libel Laws, Calling Them 'A Sham'http://kanw.com/post/trump-again-blasts-libel-laws-calling-them-sham
98282 as http://kanw.comWed, 10 Jan 2018 19:46:00 +0000Trump Again Blasts Libel Laws, Calling Them 'A Sham'Brian NaylorPresident Trump's longtime attorney is suing the research firm that compiled the infamous Russia dossier on President Trump and the news website BuzzFeed, which published it. Michael Cohen announced the lawsuit on Twitter , saying "enough is enough of the #fake #RussianDossier." He went on: "Just filed a defamation action against @BuzzFeedNews for publishing the lie filled document on @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and me!" Cohen is a central figure in the dossier, which alleges an effort by high ranking officials in Russia to develop a relationship with the Trump campaign. NPR has not detailed the allegations in the document because it remains unverified. The dossier was written by a former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele, under commission by the American political research shop Fusion GPS. The firm and its boss, Glenn Simpson, were hired by a conservative donor to do opposition research about then-candidate Donald Trump; later, the Hillary Clinton campaign took over payingTrump's Lawyer Sues BuzzFeed, Fusion GPS Over Russia Dossierhttp://kanw.com/post/trumps-lawyer-sues-buzzfeed-fusion-gps-over-russia-dossier
98279 as http://kanw.comWed, 10 Jan 2018 17:08:00 +0000Trump's Lawyer Sues BuzzFeed, Fusion GPS Over Russia DossierBrian Naylorhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDGEbJ1VVQg President Trump told a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday that he wants a bill to allow young immigrants who were brought to the country illegally to remain, saying that such a measure should be "a bipartisan bill of love" and that "we can do it." Trump also said that he was open to a larger measure overhauling immigration laws, but that it made the most sense to first settle the Obama-era Deferred Action On Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, issue. Authority allowing for the so-called DREAMers covered by the measure to remain in the country expires March 5. The president met with lawmakers for nearly an hour. The session was unusual in that a small pool of reporters was allowed to remain for the duration, an apparent effort to rebut one of the premises of the best-selling book Fire and Fury: Inside The Trump White House , which portrays the president as in over his head and possibly mentally unfit for office. Trump talked aboutTrump Calls For 'Bill Of Love' Allowing DACA Recipients To Remainhttp://kanw.com/post/trump-calls-bill-love-allowing-daca-recipients-remain
98235 as http://kanw.comTue, 09 Jan 2018 21:03:00 +0000Trump Calls For 'Bill Of Love' Allowing DACA Recipients To RemainBrian NaylorIf President Trump answers questions from Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller, as reports indicate he may, Trump would follow the precedent set by many previous occupants of his office. NBC News reports the president's lawyers are "discussing a range of potential options for the format," which may include written responses to questions rather than a sit-down interview. The story says the discussions were described by one person as preliminary and ongoing. The Washington Post reports Mueller raised the possibility of an interview with Trump during a meeting with the president's lawyers in late December. Neither the president's attorneys nor the special counsel's office would comment on the reports to NPR. Attorney Ty Cobb told NPR that "the White House is continuing its full cooperation with the [Office of Special Counsel] in order to facilitate the earliest possible resolution." Trump has endorsed the prospect of talking with Mueller before. In June 2017, during a RoseA Trump Interview With Robert Mueller Would Follow Presidential Traditionhttp://kanw.com/post/trump-interview-robert-mueller-would-follow-presidential-tradition
98200 as http://kanw.comTue, 09 Jan 2018 10:00:00 +0000A Trump Interview With Robert Mueller Would Follow Presidential TraditionBrian Naylorhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN5HV79_8B8 Updated at 4:15 p.m. ET A fiery and impassioned speech by Oprah Winfrey at Sunday night's Golden Globes Awards has set the Internet abuzz with speculation and perhaps wishful thinking: Oprah for president in 2020? The former talk show host, actor and businesswoman received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement and delivered a rousing acceptance speech. She proclaimed — in what sounds like a pretty good campaign slogan — "a new day is on the horizon!" and spoke of a time "when nobody ever has to say 'me too' again." Her comments were met with a standing ovation in Hollywood and were the talk of Twitter. Just check out the hashtag #Oprah2020 . This is not the first time Winfrey has been mentioned in conjunction with a possible presidential ticket. In fact, President Trump himself mentioned her as a potential running mate when he mulled over a bid in 1999. So is she running? Well, her longtime companion, Stedman Graham, did notOprah 2020? People Are Asking After Golden Globes Speechhttp://kanw.com/post/oprah-2020-people-are-asking-after-golden-globes-speech
98177 as http://kanw.comMon, 08 Jan 2018 19:01:00 +0000Oprah 2020? People Are Asking After Golden Globes SpeechBrian NaylorUpdated at 3:50 p.m. ET The book that created a rift between President Trump and his former campaign chief executive and adviser Steve Bannon hit the shelves Friday morning, ahead of the original Tuesday release date, despite the president's threat to block its publication. Michael Wolff, author of Fire and Fury: Inside The Trump White House, told NPR's Kelly McEvers that he "100 percent" stands behind his reporting, which the White House and some of the book's subjects have sharply criticized. "I am not a hit man," Wolff said. "I'm someone who just found his way into this story of our time and just wanted to tell it as clearly as possible and with as much understanding as possible." The first part of the interview is set to air on All Things Considered on Friday afternoon. The pushback and legal threats from the White House may have made the book even more popular. Wolff's work went on sale at midnight in at least one Washington, D.C., bookstore and reportedly sold out in less than 20'People Regret What They Said To Me,' Michael Wolff Tells NPR About Trump Bookhttp://kanw.com/post/fire-and-fury-goes-sale-trump-attacks-keep-coming
98083 as http://kanw.comFri, 05 Jan 2018 17:01:00 +0000'People Regret What They Said To Me,' Michael Wolff Tells NPR About Trump Book